8th Fire is a highly anticipated documentary series on CBC TV, Radio & CBC.ca premiering next month. RWS founder & photographer Nadya Kwandibens is featured in Episode 2 “It’s Time” which airs January 19 & 20, 2012: “Nadya Kwandibens is Anishinaabe and French from the Northwest Angle #37 First Nation in Ontario. She is based in Toronto and much of her work explores the identity of urban Aboriginal people as illustrated in her popular Concrete Indians photography series…” [ read more ] www: cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire Facebook: 8thfire Twitter: #8thfirecbc YouTube: CBC Doc Zone: 8th Fire – Preview [ Photo: A video still from Episode 2 “It’s Time” ]
Boozhoo/ Greetings RWS Friends & Fans! Something exciting came in the mail this past week from the fine folks at CTV BC – a DVD copy of the CTV First Story episode Nadya was featured in. Footage in the episode, which was broadcast nationally February 20th, was shot during two visits to Vancouver BC during Nadya’s last Summer/ Fall Tour, then during the 2011 Talking Stick Festival. The episode is also archived online on the CTV website: Watch: CTV First Story Episode Title: “Gateway & Drew Hayden Taylor” Feature Runtime: 6:00 mins Starts @ 17:00 mins Now in its 13th season, CTV First Story features the best stories in art, culture, and people making a difference in Aboriginal Canada. First Story is a proud Winner of two National and Provincial RTNDA Adrienne Clarkson Diversity awards. For more episodes, visit: www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/firststory
RWS is pleased to be returning to Vancouver BC! RWS photographer Nadya K., has been invited to exhibit a selection of images in the 10th Annual Talking Stick Festival, presented by Full Circle: First Nations Performance. In celebration of their 10th year, the 2011 festival will play its opening week (February 1 – February 6) at the Roundhouse before moving into the Commercial Drive area of East Vancouver (until February 13) and will feature diverse programming, highlighting the talents of local, national and international artists in a fusion of cabaret, music, dance, theatre and storytelling. Visit www.fullcircleperformance.ca for festival details, scheduling and tickets! Photo-Sessions Nadya will also be scheduling photo-sessions throughout the run of the festival. For details email: booking@redworks.ca. Here are the types of sessions available for booking: Portrait + Promotional Headshots Documentary Product Architectural/ Location Vancouver BC is the first stop during two tours this year. For updates/ announcements re: RWS Tours, and to find out if your city is on the list, please sign up to the RWS Mailing List/ Newsletter. To request your city, please visit the 2011 Tour page.
Last week, Nadya met with some CBC TV crew for an interview about what it means to be Native and living in a city, such as Toronto. The series of vignettes features urban Aboriginals from across Canada, and originally aired on Tuesday’s episode of Connect with Mark Kelley, April 6th. Watch: Aboriginal Life in the City Runtime: 3:06 mins The features, including some coverage on The National, were launched with the Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study; “researchers interviewed 2,614 status and non-status First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in 11 cities across Canada: Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay, Ont., Montreal, Toronto, Halifax and Ottawa (Inuit only), between March and October 2009. The study was launched to examine “the attitudes of native Canadians who call the city home.” For more information about the Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study, visit: www.cbc.ca
Since its first inception in May 2008, the response to this series has been overwhelming; Native people from across Turtle Island have been submitting their ideas regarding what it means to be urbanized and how living in urban centers either strengthens or weakens (or both) ones own cultural identity. The concept is “Urban Indian” and “Native Identity”. Rather than the photographer be the source of ideas through which the concept is explored, YOU share what it means to you by submitting a ► photo idea. The series is cinematic, all images are converted to large-scale black & white portraits, and will also be launched as a travelling exhibit visiting reservations/ reserves, and cities throughout Canada and U.S.A. See more “Concrete Indians” ————————————————————-★ BE A CONCRETE INDIAN ★————————————————————- To take part in the 2010 photo-session tour, send the following information along w/ a CONCRETE IDEA, to via either our contact form, or: Email ► concrete.indians@gmail.com ◄ Subject: “Concrete Indians Submission” ● Full Name ● Nation/ Affiliation ● Home Community/ First Nation ● Current Location/ City ● Idea(s) Note: All sessions require signing a Release Form prior to shooting which grants the photographer permission to place the images within her portfolio(s) + […]
Last year Nadya was interviewed by the Indigenous Arts Network (IAN), a website that showcases contemporary indigenous art from a wide range of disciplines across Canada, namely theatre, writing, film and video, music, new media, dance, craft/ design, visual art and communication. Other artists featured on the website are: Billy Merasty, Michael Greyeyes, Zacharias Kunuk, Terrance Houle, Tracey Deer and many others. IAN is an initiative of the Association for Native Development in the Performing & Visual Arts (ANDPVA). “Success to me means inspiration, being able to inspire other people. That’s when I know I’ve done my job, and at times it can be draining to have to constantly be that, but you keep going and you keep doing it. Because it is reciprocal, people inspire me to do the work that I do. This land we live in, this city that we live in, the country, you know what I mean? It’s reciprocal, it’s all reciprocal.” Full Interview: indigenousartsnetwork.ca/artists/nadya_kwandibens
Nadya is featured in This Magazine, which hit bookstores across Canada last week, with a profile written by Lisa Charleyboy, titled: Turning the lens on Aboriginal urbanites with “Concrete Indians.” Here is an excerpt from online edition: “Nadya Kwandibens stepped off a Greyhound bus from Phoenix, Arizona, in Kenora, Ontario, in November 2006 with only her camera and her computer. During the two-and-a-half-day trip, her suitcase, containing all her belongings, had been misplaced at a transfer point in Omaha. She lost her clothing, her native powwow jingle dress, and sacred ceremonial items, like her smudge bowl and an eagle feather her aunt gave her. ‘I was broke, tired, hungry, happy, angry, frustrated, and nearly crying,’ she says. ‘I was standing there by the bus…'” Find out which Concrete Indians are featured! ► Read More
Concrete Indians is gonna do it up in Toronto this week during the Creator Within Festival presented by ANDPVA. 12 large black & white portraits will be presented featuring: Jennifer Podemski, Darrell Dennis, Michaela Washburn, Waawaate Fobister, Lisa Charleyboy, Anthony Henhawk and Jessica Yee! I will be there, of course, to talk about the series, what it’s about and how much support it’s been getting… it’s been amazing how many people have taken to this series; folks from across Canada and the U.S. Here are the details Duration: Nov. 18 – 22, 2009 Opening Reception: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 7 – 8pm Wychwood Barns Gallery 601 Christie Street (corner of Benson & Wychwood) View Map RSVP √ A few of the Concrete Indians will be in attendance to talk about their portrait! I hope those in the GTA will come out and see the show and say HI! Baamaaminawaa,
RWS was pleased to cover the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival for a second time! Nadya was there last year and captured a full 5-day schedule, and this year was much the same, but considering it was the festival’s 10th Anniversary, an extra boost of excitement permeated the various workshops, screenings and evening concerts. The week started on Tuesday with a Pre-Festival Party for Digging Roots in celebration of their new CD ‘We Are’. Wednesday afternoon was the official start with the Welcoming Reception at the Native Canadian Centre, followed by the Opening Night Screening at the Bloor Cinema. Wednesday was a wrap w/ the Opening Night Party at The Century Room. With the festival in full swing, Nadya began Thursday’s coverage with the Harold Greenberg Screenwriting Workshop facilitated by Karen Walton; next was a celebration of Cape Dorset art with a screening of “James Houston: The Most Interesting Group of People You’ll Ever Meet” by John Houston; Nadya dashed back to the Al Green Theatre for screenings of Tshitashun (Number). Love on the Street, and Jackpot. The evening concluded with a special mixed media & live performance improvised collaboration with Tanya Tagaq and DJ Bear Witness during the […]
Last week, I was in Thunder Bay, Ontario to attend the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund‘s (NADF) Business Awards, held October 21st. NADF is an aboriginal owned and controlled organization delivering business and financial services to the member First Nations of Nishnawbe Aski Nation. Launched in 1991 and held annually, the Business Awards recognizes the outstanding commitment, dedication and contributions of the growing Aboriginal and Métis business community in northern Ontario. This year marked NADF’s 19th gala event. In the days prior to leaving I had rushed around getting business docs and info sent off to awards selection committee. Everything came together just in the nick of time! Upon arriving in Thunder Bay I was so tired! I went to the hotel, had a quick bite to eat in the hotel restaurant, back up to the room, ironed my shirt, then… slept. Time passed… and passed. I must have been really tired, because I slept a good 4 hours and woke up with 15 mins to get ready! I did the quick 5 min make-up routine, called the cab and was off in 10 mins flat! I was told I was to be recieving the Neechee Achievement Award, but upon finding […]
